2 Samuel 6:1-10

1 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all.

2 He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim.

3 They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart

4 that carried the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark.

5 David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.

7 Then the LORD ’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

8 David was angry because the LORD ’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.

9 David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?”

10 So David decided not to move the Ark of the LORD into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.

2 Samuel 6:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 6

In this chapter we are told that David fetched the ark from Baale of Judah, with an intent to bring it to his own city, 2Sa 6:1-5; but Uzzah being smitten for his error concerning it, David was displeased, and left it at the house of Obededom, where it remained three months, and proved a blessing to his house, 2Sa 6:6-11; which David hearing of, went and brought it from thence with great expressions of joy before it as it came along, and offered offerings to the Lord at the setting it in its place, and gave gifts to the people, 2Sa 6:12-19; but Michal his wife was displeased with some of his gestures on that occasion, which made some difference between them, and which, on Michal's part, was resented by the Lord himself; for she became barren for it to the time of her death, 2Sa 6:20-23.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Baale of Judah, another name for Kiriath-jearim; compare 1 Chr 13:6 .
• [b]. Or the Ark of God where the Name is proclaimed—the name of the of Heaven’s Armies.
• [c]. As in Dead Sea Scrolls and some Greek manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads and they brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill, with the Ark of God.
• [d]. As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version (see also 1 Chr 13:8 ); Masoretic Text reads before the with all manner of cypress wood.
• [e]. As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads because of his irreverence.